Thursday, 8 March - is International Women's Day. Women around the world are writing to Pope Francis to thank him for his leadership on peace, nonviolence and disarmament and to share a vision of peace with him. 'International relations cannot be held captive to military force, mutual intimidation, and the parading of stockpiles of arms.' - Pope Francis, November 2017

The Rosary on the Coast for Faith, Life and Hope in the British Isles. Please watch the video, go visit, like and share the Facebook page (Rosary on the Coast), sign on the website to get involved in this unique moment and be part of something truly gracious for our country. https://www.facebook.com/pg/rosaryonthecoast/about/?ref=page_internal

In the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, Christians and other minorities are being violently persecuted, driven out and wiped out. Even their places of worship are being destroyed. Faithkeepers gives face and voice to the humanitarian crisis and genocide affecting millions in the Middle East as a result of religious and ethnic persecution. The film is a testament to the stories of the persecuted and an inspiring portrait of the human spirit. Its message and testimonies are especially poignant at Easter. It's important to note that Faithkeepers has been embraced across the inter-faith community;

CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM SATURDAY 14th APRIL 2018 at St Mary’s University, Twickenham TW1 4SX On CONSCIENCE MATTERS IN THE WORKPLACE (Followed on Sunday 15th April by the Annual General Meeting, at St Mary’s) Our Annual Symposium will focus on issues of conscience within healthcare with particular emphasis on matters surrounding abortion and end-of-life care. This is particularly important following the case of the Glasgow Midwives, foeticide, widespread prenatal screening, eugenic abortions, the prospect of buffer zones around abortion clinics and the challenges around counselling and supporting women who are considering abortion.

This makes for very good reading! CATHOLIC WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES Beliefs, Practices, Experiences, and Attitudes By Mark M. Gray and Mary L. Gautier The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate A survey conducted between August 3, 2017 and August 24, 2017. A total of 1,508 women self-identifying as Catholic in the United States completed the survey (in English or Spanish).

To advance the work of the Paisley Synod, the Diocese is exploring a partnership with the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham to deliver some distance learning courses to support our laypeople in various aspects of Parish ministry. We hope to run a course leading to the Certificate in Parish Mission and Ministry. If you think this would be of interest to you, please speak to your Parish Priest.

Katie Ascough said that she accepted the award on behalf of “the pro-life generation” and all people who find themselves in difficulty because they support the right to life of the unborn child. “I accept it not only on behalf of myself, but of all students and right-to-lifers more generally who suffer unjust discrimination because of their beliefs, in the teeth of bigotry and illiberalism from abortion advocates on campus or in wider society. “I urge such people to stay strong, and to follow the courage of their convictions. It may be difficult, but ultimately, I can assure them, it’s absolutely worth it.”

Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards plans to resign from her position after overseeing more than 3 million unborn babies’ abortion deaths, liberal news outlets reported Wednesday. The abortion chain has not confirmed Richards’ resignation yet; however, two separate, anonymous sources told BuzzFeed about her plans to resign. “Cecile plans to discuss 2018 and the next steps for Planned Parenthood’s future at the upcoming board meeting,” a spokesperson for the abortion chain said Wednesday.

In his message for the World Day of Social Communications, published Wednesday, Pope Francis said that in a world of lightning-fast communication, there is a responsibility to combat falsehood and misinformation with truth, treating journalism as a people-oriented mission. “In today’s world, [the work of journalists] is, in every sense, not just a job; it is a mission,” the Pope wrote in his message released Jan. 24. “Amid feeding frenzies and the mad rush for a scoop, they must remember that the heart of information is not the speed with which it is reported or its audience impact, but persons.” “Informing others

Warsaw, Poland, Jan 15, 2018 / 12:46 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Lawmakers in Poland proposed pro-life legislation last week that would outlaw abortions performed because of a congenital disorder or deformity in the unborn child.

St Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church:

Jim Caviezel’s powerful and impassioned speech to young people... He made an appearance at SLS18 in Chicago lastweek—promoting his new movie about the life of St. Paul and delivering a rousing speech about faith, conversion and courage. " indifference - set yourself apart!"

Bishop John's Vocations Message 2018 - " I want to invite you our young people especially, men & women, to ask God what he wants you to do with the rest of your lives? "

The theme for Catholic Education Week 2018, “Serving The Common Good”,  is taken from Developing In Faith, the document at the heart of evaluation and  planning in the Catholic school.  A team of teachers and R.E. advisers have been working hard over the past months to create a host of resources to support schools as they mark CEW.  Assembly resources, sermon notes, classroom activities and prayers that look at the themes of Catholic Social Teaching and the school are all available on the SCES website for you to download and use across the year.

SPUC Communications Academy - Are you 18-35, a committed prolifer and a passionate communicator? In 2018, SPUC Scotland are seeking to identify and empower Communication Champions to build a better society. We are offering sponsored places at our Communications Academy on 2nd and 3rd March in Dumbarton, where you will learn advanced techniques in communications and media skills. To apply please send your CV and a short covering note to michael@spucscotland.org by 2nd February

THE idea of free speech being curtailed in our universities and society at large is a disquieting thought. The policy of “no platforming” is at the epicentre of an increasingly heated debate on the right to express views deemed uncomfortable or unacceptable. The policy, in effect, means that people or groups on a banned list for holding racist, fascist or other discriminatory views are not allowed to speak on student union premises. Emanating from the campuses of American universities, it has taken root in the UK much to the chagrin of some university authorities and, more recently, the UK Government.

Come New Year’s, most people find themselves making resolutions they plan to keep. Some have high hopes of slowing down some of the recent chaos, others want to shed some of those newly gained holiday pounds. Most will mention a desire to establish new, better habits to live a happier, healthier life. Generally, most people focus on exercising more, eating healthier, maybe staying more organized, and making time for friends or family in an intentional way. But, just as we focus on bodily health and mental order, so too should we give ourselves a chance to improve and grow spiritually in the new year. Here are five faith based resolutions for the new year to consider.

Every year, Catholics gather outside the front doors of their home, chalk in hand. Perhaps you’ve seen the chalking above a church door, or above the front door to a friends home. But just what does the chalking mean? What do the letters and numbers symbolize? Read on to discover the tradition of chalking, celebrated on the Feast of the Epiphany. It offers a beautiful opportunity to bless your home for the upcoming year.

“Please, let’s not extinguish the hope in their hearts, let’s not suffocate their expectations of peace,” Pope Francis called for people around the world to “embrace” migrants and refugees in his annual World Day for Peace address. The theme of the 51st World Day of Peace celebration, observed on Jan. 1, was “Migrants and Refugees: Men and Women in Search of Peace.”

Happy Christmas everybody. As I look down from my office and see everyone rushing about in the town below it is lovely to sit still, I am glad of the opportunity every year to offer some ideas to lead you into the true joy of this season. Looking back on our lives how often we regret having lost things we held dear just because we took them too much for granted.